The invention relates to tape dispensers for dispensing tape, for example, medical tape, and more particularly relates such tape dispensers that include a cutter for cutting off a piece of tape.
Tape dispensers have been in widespread use for years. Tape dispensers have been used to dispense selected lengths of materials from a roll of tape, typically tape that includes a pressure sensitive adhesive. Tape dispensers that include serrations for severing tape have been in use, as have tape dispensers that are formed of one piece of material. One piece tape dispensers have been made that include exposed fixed serrations for severing tape. Problems with exposed fixed blades or serrations include some risk that tape will be inadvertently cut, and that clothing, drapes, surgical gowns, etc., will be snagged by the blade or serrations.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,735,400 and Des. No. 380,777 disclose a tape dispenser having a folded one piece design having a bridge member extending between two outer periphery portions. This tape dispenser does not include an integral cutting means. The outer layer of tape remains exposed in this design.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,400 describes a one-piece protector for a roll of tape having a releasable hub means, a transverse, peripheral bridge portion extending between outer peripheries of first and second walls.
The 3M Micropore (trademark) tape dispenser is a folded one-piece design having an integral fixed serrated blade with central nested projections to provide ajournal to mount the tape core. The outer layer of tape remains exposed in this design.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 125,085 discloses a tape dispenser having a folded one-piece construction with a fixed serrated edge on the bridge member. U.S. Design Pat. No. 64,733 discloses a tape dispenser frame having a fixed serrated blade and a tape land for the free end of the tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,295,679 describes a reusable tape dispenser stamped out from a single flat blank of sheet metal having a uniplaner base from which extend opposed parallel sides and spaced by the base to a width to accommodate the width of the tape core. Each side portion has a centrally located projection to support the tape core. A fixed cutting blade is located on the base.
This invention provides a tape dispenser formed with a one piece housing with an integral cover/cutter. The cutting means moves between positions in order to server tape into discrete sections, and is integrated into a one piece tape dispenser. The cutting means is positioned on the cover and is pivotably connected to the main body of the housing to substantially completely enclose the roll of tape within the housing. Moreover, the cutting means is shielded within the body of the housing when the cover/cutter is closed. The tape dispenser of the invention is economical, easy to assembly, and convenient to use. The tape dispenser is preferably sized and configured to be held in the palm of one hand and to be used primarily by one hand.
Generally, a tape dispenser of the invention comprises a housing formed of a single piece of material. The housing comprises opposite sides, a hub extending from at least one side, a bridge connecting the opposite sides, and a cutter pivotably connected to the bridge. The hub is adapted to hold a roll of tape for rotation within the housing, and the cutter being adapted to cut the tape.
Preferably, the opposite sides have opposing flanges extending toward one another to substantially enclose the tape within the housing except for an opening, and the cutter is movable to open and close the opening. For example, the opposing flanges may each have a nesting side edge for interlocking with the nesting side edge of the other flange.
Most preferably, at least one of the opposite sides has a concave open area extending from the opening in the direction toward the hub to provide manual access to the tape when the cutter is moved to open the opening, and the cutter includes a convex flange substantially matching the concave open area to cover the concave open area when the cutter closes the opening.
Also, preferably, the cutter includes a cutting blade integrally formed with the cutter. For example, the cutting blade comprises cutting teeth and reinforcement ribs integrally formed with the cutter. The reinforcement ribs are preferably formed on a side of the teeth in the direction facing generally away from the hub. Alternatively, the cutting blade may be a separate part mounted on the cutter.
The housing preferably forms a channel for receiving the blade of the cutter and lands on opposite sides of the channel for releasably retaining the tape in position to cut the tape with the blade. The integral pair of lands provides surfaces upon which the tape can be anchored and subsequently released. Having two land surfaces allows the tape to be cut and remain in position so that the user can remove the desired section of tape for use, and the remaining free end from the tape roll is located in an area for ease of grasping by the user for advancement for subsequent use.
A product card may be provided having an opening for receiving the housing and tabs for mounting the product card on the housing, and the nesting side edges preferably form slots for receiving the tabs on the product card to hold the product card and housing together.
Most preferably, the dispenser is minimally larger than the roll of tape held by the dispenser.
Preferably, the hub comprises two hub portions, one extending from each side of the housing, the hub portions interlocking to form the hub. The two hub portions comprise first and second hub portions. The first hub portion defines an opening for receiving the second hub portion therein, and includes an annular ridge within the opening. The second hub portion includes locking tabs for engaging the annular ridge to lock the first and second hub portions together.
Most preferably, the first hub portion extends from a first side of the housing to a free end of the first hub, and the free end of the first hub includes a concave open area extending in the direction toward the first side of the housing. The concave open area faces generally in the direction of the bridge to facilitate inserting the second hub portion within the first hub portion when the opposite sides of the housing are pivoted toward each other during assembly of the tape dispenser.
The opposite sides, hub and bridge may be considered as constituting the body of the tape dispenser, and the cutter preferably includes a projection beyond the body of the cutter to facilitate engaging the projection with a thumb to move the cutter.
Most preferably, living hinges pivotably connecting the cutter and opposite sides to the bridge.
In a second aspect of the invention, the tape dispenser generally comprises a generally palm-sized housing formed of a single piece of material, with the housing completely enclosing a roll of tape mounted within the housing for rotation relative to the housing. The housing comprises a body enclosing the roll of tape, an opening in the body for dispensing the tape, and a thumb-engageable cover integrally formed with the body and pivotable relative to the body to open and close the opening. The cover includes a cutter for cutting pieces of tape from the roll of tape.
Preferably, the body comprises a bridge having opposite ends, opposite sides, and a hub. The opposite sides have opposing flanges extending toward one another. The opposite sides are connected to the opposite ends of the bridge via living hinges. The opposing flanges each have a nesting side edge interlocking with the nesting side edge of the other flange. The hub extends from at least one of the sides for rotatably supporting the roll of tape within the body.
Most preferably, at least one of the opposite sides has a concave open area extending from the opening in the body in the direction toward the hub to provide manual access to the tape when the cover is moved to open the opening. The cover includes a convex flange substantially matching the concave open area to cover the concave open area when the cover closes the opening.
Also, preferably, the cutter comprises cutting teeth integrally formed with the cover, and reinforcement ribs integrally formed with the cutting teeth and cover on a side of the teeth in the direction facing generally away from the hub. The body forms a channel for receiving the cutting teeth and lands on opposite sides of the channel for releasably retaining the tape in position to cut the tape with the cutting teeth.
The third aspect of the invention is a method of making a tape dispenser from a single piece of material. The method generally comprises the following steps:
(a) molding a tape dispenser blank of single piece construction from polymeric material, the blank including first and second side portions, a cutter, a bridge connected via living hinges to the side portions and cutter, and a hub extending from at least the first side portion;
(b) placing a roll of tape on the hub;
(c) pivoting the side portions relative to the bridge across the living hinges to interlock the hub with the second side portion; and
(d) optionally pivoting the cutter relative to the bridge to a closed position if the cutter is not in its closed position upon conclusion of step (c).
Preferably, the first and second side portions each have a flange, and each flange has a nesting side edge for interlocking with the nesting side edge of the other flange. The hub comprises first and second hub portions, one extending from each side portion. The first hub portion defines an opening for receiving the second hub portion therein. The first hub portion includes an annular ridge within the opening, and the second hub portion includes locking tabs. With this preferred construction, the step (c) of pivoting the side portions relative to the bridge across the living hinges to interlock the hub with the second side portion preferably further comprises the following steps: (1) substantially enclosing the tape within tape dispenser except for an opening in the dispenser; (2) interlocking the nesting side edges of the first and second side portions; (3) inserting the second hub portion within the opening of the first hub portion; and (4) engaging the annular ridge with the locking tabs to lock the first and second hub portions together; and the step (d) of pivoting the cutter relative to the bridge to a closed position comprising moving the cutter to close the opening.
Also, preferably, the first hub portion extends from the first side portion to a free end, and the free end includes a concave open area extending in the direction toward the first side portion. The concave open area faces generally in the direction toward the bridge to facilitate. With this construction, the step of inserting the second hub portion within the opening of the first hub portion further comprises inserting the second hub portion at least partly through the concave open area of the first hub portion as the first and second side portions are pivoted toward one another.
If a product card is provided having an opening for receiving the tape dispenser, and tabs for mounting the product card on the tape dispenser, slots are preferably formed in the nesting side edges of the dispenser forming, and the tabs are inserted through, or placed within, the slots to hold the product card and tape dispenser together.
The tape dispenser of the invention thus provides an integral tape-cutting means that is sheathed or shielded between uses within the one-piece dispenser body. This protects the tape-cutting means from the potential to scratch or otherwise damage surfaces (e.g. snag clothing).
Additionally, the one-piece design of the invention substantially encloses the roll of tape within the housing of the tape dispenser when the tape-cutting means/cover is in its closed position, thereby better protecting the tape from contamination.
In yet another preferred aspect of the invention, the tape dispenser generally comprises a housing containing a roll of tape mounted for rotation within the housing. The housing has an opening for removing tape from the roll of tape. A cover is pivotably connected to the housing to open and close the opening. Both the housing and the cover include cutting teeth or a blade such that tape can be pulled against either the cutting teeth or a blade of the cover or the cutting teeth or a blade of the housing to cut a piece of tape pulled from the roll of tape.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter.